Should my Casa Blanca and Stargazer lilies be up yet?

I have one Stargazer lily above ground now, it is the only one I have from previous years. Late last summer I planted a couple more stargazer plants that I got cheap in a pot and last fall I planted several Casa Blanca lily bulbs. I don't see any evidence of any of them yet. Just for reference, I just noticed yesterday that my peony has set buds, you can see a little bit of white on the sweet woodruff, and some of the lily of the valley that gets a little more sun has set buds. I also have flowers on my alba bleeding hearts and my candytuft is blooming. Is there anyone out there in my zone whose lilies are up? Are they typically late to start?

My Lilies start arising from the soil sometimes as early as February and continue to emerge often through May. I've got some that are 4' tall now and others just an inch or two out of the ground. Very odd to me how there's such a range. Judging from that experience, I'd say just keep an eye out for them- still sounds too soon to give up on them. If you are inclined (as I have been so many times due to impatience) to dig around looking for sprouts beneath the soil surface, be very careful. I've foolishly severed shoots doing that more than once- talk about kicking myself!

Due to your locale, and temp. I'd wait. (You still get occ. frost there right?). Down South, Stargazer and and C.Blanca are up and running, but no buds yet, even.

Interesting that they have such different emerging times. I'm near enough to the water that my last frost date is April 13. And I know from experience also to not go digging for them. I knocked the top off of one stargazer last year, it never grew back, and it hasn't come up this year either, so that one I think is a goner. But I'll hold out hope for the new ones that I planted.

FYI, I've got Casa Blanca lillies almost ready to bloom, but.........last year I don't even think they were up at this time. Everything seems different this year--for the last three years an orange lilly I have in full sun (not sure of name) has been the first plant in my perennial bed to bloom, with the exception of bulbs. This year, I've got Salvias (which normally bloom in June), Gaillardias, even roses blooming, and that lily is still setting buds. In a shade bed I've got azaleas, columbine, foxglove, hellebores, lily-of-the-valley and Celandine poppies all blooming at the same time. That has NEVER happened before. Its quite pretty, but I'm wondering "why"? The only thing I can think of is that we got some rain. All this just to tell you to "wait"--I bet they come up!

I'm in 8b, and all of mine are up. If it were me, I'd gently dig down to see if they are still there. Seems like you should at least see some sprouts.

Some of my Stargazers have buds already. And my Casa Blancas are about 2 feet tall.

cindy,

I wouldn't worry just yet - my "Apricot" trumpets were just coming out of the ground about two weeks ago. With as late as Orientals bloom relative to other lilies, there is still a good chance they're emerging late. Do you have any record of when they came up in previous years? Like gemini, mine emerge in a wide range, and at this point mine at anywhere from a few inches to about five feet tall. And ALSO like gemini I have on several occasions gotten too eager and have broken lily stems underground by digging around with my fingers and not being careful! Have also sliced a few bulbs in half being careless with my shovel.

If you chopped off your Stargazer, you may have not done any damage at all to the bulb and it may well return for you. I have had them come back the following year when I thought they were gone.

I'm with the rest that recommended NOT to dig around your lilies. Been there, done that, and the sound of splitting lilies under your shovel is ...almost painful.

LOL Kim - true.

I'm also worried about a newly planted lily that was very expensive. I will be patient though and wait a little longer..

My Casa Blancas are showing between one and two inches of growth but they are very mature. And the difference in size and prominence is different is some location and in bulbs I transplanted last year. Do give them some more time.

Donna

Thanks everyone, we've had 2 days of rain so I haven't checked, but maybe they'll pop out now after the rain.

My lily has appeared! I'm so relieved and glad I was patient :)

Well, I never got any of the new lilies I planted last summer. Do you suppose the bulbs were eaten by a mole or vole?

Voles are terrible for eating Lily bulbs. If you've had them around, its likely that's what happened.